as in shrimp
a person of no importance or influence
the magazine's editor in chief was notorious for treating staffers as insects, often not even bothering to learn their names
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Recent Examples of insects
Poly means many and ticks are blood-sucking insects.
—
Arkansas Online, 17 Feb. 2026
The reflective foil discourages unwanted insects and pests like slugs from approaching and harming the plants, but actually helps to attract butterflies.
—Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
Four insects and one crop moved closer Monday to becoming state symbols.
—Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoma Voice, 17 Feb. 2026
Because of its scent, rosemary helps other vegetables in your garden, like cauliflower, to grow properly by keeping insects away.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
Cardinals are fond of black oil sunflower seeds, fruits and berries, and insects.
—Joan Morris, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Pay attention to what kinds of insects are attending to them.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
The ongoing decline of birds signals a broader crisis in the natural world already documented in global losses in insects, amphibians, and other wildlife.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Honeydew is a sugary waste liquid produced by sap-feeding insects like aphids, certain scale insects, and planthoppers.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025
Arkansas Online, 17 Feb. 2026
The reflective foil discourages unwanted insects and pests like slugs from approaching and harming the plants, but actually helps to attract butterflies.
—Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
Four insects and one crop moved closer Monday to becoming state symbols.
—Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoma Voice, 17 Feb. 2026
Because of its scent, rosemary helps other vegetables in your garden, like cauliflower, to grow properly by keeping insects away.
—Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
Cardinals are fond of black oil sunflower seeds, fruits and berries, and insects.
—Joan Morris, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Pay attention to what kinds of insects are attending to them.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
The ongoing decline of birds signals a broader crisis in the natural world already documented in global losses in insects, amphibians, and other wildlife.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Honeydew is a sugary waste liquid produced by sap-feeding insects like aphids, certain scale insects, and planthoppers.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insects
Noun
-
The Blind Owl is extremely dense, brimming with metaphors and ciphers and symbols.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Like Dostoyevsky, Capote doesn’t portray his killers as demonic ciphers, instead capturing their messy complexity.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Monte Vista boasts a pair of solid lightweights in Alexa Malinis (100) and Katara Ortiz (105).—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Hughes is one of the world's top lightweights in MMA, the sport where McGregor built his following and name.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Where else could award winning writers pop off about nothing at all, and nobodies could rattle the ivory towers?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
-
Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The ditch that’s up to 19 feet deep dwarfs the heavy machinery inside of it.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Plus Brock and Sindri, the gear upgrade dwarves.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insects. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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